'WILLIAMSTOWN, MASS 12/6/05 - The Keene State College women's basketball team suffered its first loss of the season with a 59-56 setback to Williams College in a non-conference game played Tuesday night in Chandler Gymnasium. 

Williams (6-2) put four players in double-figures to hold off previously unbeaten Keene State. 

Junior Meghan Stetson led the Ephs with 14 points while junior forward Meghan O'Malley added 12 and Colleen Hession and Maggie Miller threw in 11 points each. The Owls (4-1) were led by senior Sarah Begnoche's (Millville, Mass.) 20 points.

Keene State came back from a 30-20 halftime deficit to lead the game for two minutes late in the contest, as Bri Barnes (Merrimack, N.H.) sank a pair of free throws with 4:46 remaining to give the visitors a 49-47 edge.

But Williams fought back as Stetson drained a three from the top of the key off a beautiful feed from first-year Mika Peterman with 4:24 remaining for a 50-49 lead, and Miller added two more off a baseline jumper with 3:21 to go for a three-point advantage.

With 2:35 left, Keene State freshman Michele Boudreau (Readsboro, Vt.) knocked down a trey from the top of the key to make it 54-53 Williams.  Two possessions later, Peterman followed suit for the Ephs, hitting a clutch three for a 57-53 lead with 1:02 to go. Another clutch three, this one by the Owls' Barnes, made it a one-point game again, but two Colleen Hession free throws gave the Ephs a 59-56 lead with 6.5 seconds left.  Bekka Hopkins' (Oxford, Mass.) three-point attempt at the buzzer from the right corner fell shy of the iron.

Begnoche posted a double-double for Keene, adding 10 rebounds to her 20-point effort. Barnes finished with 10 points and six rebounds.

Miller led Williams with nine rebounds while junior Ellen Wilk came off the bench for four points and eight boards. Stetson added five assists, three steals and three assists to her 14-point night, while Peterman finished with seven points, three steals and an assist.

Keene State will host Nichols College on Thursday (5:30 p.m.) at Spaulding Gym.

(Courtesy of Williams College Sports Information)